Kobo Aura HD official – the world’s highest resolution ereader

Amazon’s got company – and it’s got the Kobo logo on it. The Canadian company has launched its new ereader, the Kobo Aura HD, and it’s got a spec sheet to make a Kindle Paperwhite sob into its digital pages.

First up is the resolution, which bests the Paperwhite’s 212dpi with 265 dots per inch of its 6.8in backlit E Ink screen. Secondly, there’s the storage – double the Kindle’s at 4GB. And thirdly there’s the design: an ergonomically-moulded shell in three colours – Ivory, Espresso and Onyx – with an accented power switch for that subtle fashionista touch.

Add a 1GHz processor for page turns that are 20 per cent faster than previous generations and a battery life of up to two months and you’ve got a pretty attractive proposition.

Where the Kobo Aura HD comes unstuck is price. The new ereader – up for pre-order from April 16th and on sale on April 25th – will set you back a pretty £140, £30 more than a Kindle Paperwhite. Then again, you could blow up to £170 on the Kindle with 3G, so there’s still a bit of fight left in this price war.

So, away from the hush of public libraries, the volume’s been pumped up in ereader land. We’ll be back with a full review of the Kobo Aura HD and the conclusive verdict in who wins the battle of the ebook titans. Kindle Paperwhite vs Kobo Aura HD, here we come…